Lighting fixtures



Jan. 19, 1965 K. ARON LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed Jan. 22, 1962 INVENTOR.

Aw/Pr 42 4 3,166,253 Patented Jan. 1 9, 1965 3,166,253 V LIGHTING FIXTURES e Kurt Aron, 34-65 74th St., Jackson Heights, N. Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,558 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-4639) This invention relates generally to the lighting fixture art; more specifically it presents a wall structure or the like to provide adequate illumination and especially describes a decorative lighting fixture for adjustable lighting.

Lighting fixtures of many types and descriptions are well known. However, they all suffer from the common disadvantage of providing illumination in such manner as to be readily apparent that it is artificial.

Furthermore, the conventional lighting fixtures will either fall in the category of providing direct, or indirect, light. It is generally not feasibly to construct one fixture that will provide light of either type.

Additionally, at the present time, it requires a complicated and expensive system andstructure toprovide uniform illumination.

It is a cardinal object of this invention, therefore, to

i provide an improved lighting system.

It is another primary object hereof to set forth an improved lighting fixture.

Another object of this invention is to set forth adevice of the character described that will provide illumination simulating that of a window in daylight.

Still another object and accomplishment hereof is to provide a lighting fixture that will be capable of providing either direct or indirect illumination.

A still further purpose of the instant inventionis to set forth a method of turning alighting fixture on? or oif automatically.

A further purpose and accomplishment of this invention is to set forth an improved lighting fixture as above-described that will be relatively economical and that can be readily mass-produced.

An ancillary object is to describe a lighting fixture in or on a wall or the like, that will be decorative when not muse. y r i With these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will appear in the following specification and recited in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings-in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the various figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevationalview of the instant invention.

" FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line2 2 of FIG. 1. 4 j

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1. 1

FIG. 4' is an enlarged, fractional and sectional view in elevation of the electric switch assembly. 1

Referring particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated the instant invention assembled in a wall 10 or the like.

It will be noted that the details of the positioning of the lighting fixture are not shown or described in that it may be assembled in any wall for any lighting purpose. Sufficient to say, however, that the improved lighting fixture 12 will find application in homes and commercial establishments of all types.

As will be seen, the fixture 12 has a main cabinet-like structure 14 with at least one front open face. The cabinet structure 14 will be suitably positioned in a recess 15 in the wall or the like. For insulation purposes and'for improved rigidity, the cabinet structure 14 may be provided with a metallic or reflecting rear wall 16.

The lighting structure will generally be comprised substantially of a plurality of elongated bulbs 21 preferably of the fluorescenttype. The elongated bulbs 21 are illustrat'ed herein as :being horizontal but it will be realized that in practice, the bulbs may be positioned in any suitable manner. The bulbs 21 will be mounted in sockets 22, the terminals of which are electrically connected to a lamp cord 24. The lamp cord 24 will serve to supply current to the sockets'and to all of the elongated bulbs 21, through a suitable switch 25 to be described in detail hereinafter.

Spanning the front opening of the cabinet structure 14 will be a Venetian blind type structure 26 with a plurality of thin parallel slats 28, that can be set at any angle.

It should here be noted that although the slats 28 illustrated are substantially horizontal, they too could be constructed vertically or in any other position without departingfrom' the inventive concept herein expressed.

The Venetianblind structure will be provided with an adjustable pulley so that the said slats 28 may be rotated as desired. Thus, the slats may be moved to .a position almost vertical wherein they will completelyseal the interior of the cabinet structure 14, may be gradually moved to a horizontal position, or may thenbe moved to the opposite substantially vertical position. The pulley may be'actuated as by -a pull cord 30 or by any other suitable arrangement such as a lever (not illustrated) or the like. Thus, a portion of the linstant invention will now be apparent. i l 3 The improved fixture 12 will beset in or on a wall, or the like, simulating a window. With the Venetian blind structure 26 in a closed position, wherein the slats 28 are each substantially vertical, the unit will appear to be a closed window. When it is desired to provide light from the fixture 12, the slats 28 of the Venetian blind type structure 26 will be at least partially. opened and the elongated bulbs 21 therewithin will beactivated. If the elongated bulbs 21 are of the blue-white fluorescent type, them will appear to be. a in the wall, providing daylight. l A 7 Of course, it will be apparent that this invention will be especially useful in providing illumination in a natural manner to rooms nototherwise having daylight windows.

Even when such windows are available, the instant invention will provide illumination where and when desired, 7

to the bulbs 21 to permit a flow, of current to the said bulbs thereby lighting'the same, or to breakithe circuit thereby preventing the said bulbs 21-from lighting. The

operative portion of the switch 25 will be an extending stem portion 32 thereof. The said stem portion 32 of the switch 25 will serve to control the operation of the said switch 25 much as the push-button of an ordinary depression switch. Thus, the stem portion 32 will be biased away from the body of the switch 25 to its fully extended position. However, the said switch 25 will be secured to the body of the fixture in such position that ,one of the slats 28a will be in interfering relationship with the external tip of the said stem portion 32. The portion of the slat28a contacted by the said external tip of the stem portion 32 will move outward and away from the said switch 25 when the said slat 28a is moved away from its substantially vertical position. Thus, as the said slat 28a is moved towards a horizontal position as'shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 4, the stem'portion 32 of the switch V a 25, being biased away from the said switch 25, will extend :from the said switch 25 to a greater degree. Conversely, as the said slat 28a ismoved towards its substantially 'verticalposition, ,the interfering relationship between the said slat 28a and the stem portion 32, willcause the said :stem portion 32 to retract within the said switch 25 against the normal biasing'of said stem portion 32 away from the vswitch25. When the stem portion 32 is retracted within the switch 25, a maximum as' when the slats.28 are in a substantially vertical position, the switch 25 will break the electrical circuit to the elongated bulbs 21 thereby causing them to be turned ofi. I p

- Thus, it is seen that there may be provided herein this "relatively automatic method of controlling the'operation of the unit. When the blinds are closed and the slats 28 are substantially vertical, the elongated bulbs will be automatically electrically disconnected by means of switch 25.

When said slats '28 are even partially opened, however, the

able'transparent or translucent member maybe provided between Venetian blind type structure 25 and the elongated bulbs 21. This will tend to protect the lighting source and will further defuse the illumination projected there-' from.

' Additionally,a ventilation fan may, in certain instances, be constructed within the cabinet structure 14 to prevent excessive build-up of heat within the unit.

Although thedevice illustrated herein is seen as projecting within a wall 10, it can, of course, be constructed and mounted on an interior surface' of a wall much asa picture "frame. Thus, a device can be provided to be readily mountable without alteration in or about the interiorstructure.

Of further interest is'the fact that one surface of the slats 28 may be constructed with a decorative design thereon. Thus,when the slats 28 are moved totheir vertical position, thedesign will render the appear-anceof a decorative area thereby camouflaging the unit when not in'opera-tion. r

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the structure and product of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments, without departingfrom the inventive concept herein disclosed, and'it isdesired, therefore, that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein or required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its a use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 'open side,

i (d) means to rotate said slats whereby'said slatsmay be moved to a first position whereby they will seal the interior of said cabinet and to i a second position whereby they will provide openings to the'interior of said cabinet, V

(e) and an electrical activating switch to control the lighting of said plurality of electric lamps,

(7) and means to automatically activate said switch when said slats are in said second position whereby said plurality of lamps will be lit and to de-activate said switch when said slats are in said first position, whereby said plurality of lamps will be off,

(g) said last mentioned means including an outwardly biased stem projecting from said switch, said stem being in interfering relationship with one of said slats whereby when said one slat is in said first position, said slat will depress said stem and when said slat is in said second position, said slat will be free of said stem. 7

2. A lighting fixture comprising:

(a) a cabinet structure with at least one open side,

(b) the interior surface of said cabinet structure opposite said open side being light reflective,

(c) 'and a plurality of elongated light bulbs Withinsaid cabinet structure,

(d) an electric circuit secured to said cabinet structure tooperate and lightsaid bulbs,

(e) and a plurality of adjustable Venetian blind slats positioned and secured entirely across said one open side,

(f) said Venetian blind slats having pulley means whereby said slats may be moved to a first position whereby they will each be substantially vertical and will seal the interior of said cabinet and to; a second position whereby they will .provide openings to the interior of said cabinet,

(g) an electrical switch meansinterposed in said electric circuit, said electrical switch means including a projecting stem to activate said switch and complete said circuit and thereby light said bulbs when in an extended position, and to break said circuit'and thereby turn off said bulbs when in a depressed position, said projecting stem being biased to said extending position,

(h) the projecting end of saidstem being in interfering relationship with one of said slats, whereby said slat will urge said stem to said depressed position when said slat is moved to said first position. j

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,957,320 Armentrout Oct. 25, 1960 

1. IN A LIGHTING FIXTURE, A COMBINATION OF: (A) A CABINET STRUCTURE WITH AT LEAST ONE OPEN SIDE, (B) A PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC LAMPS WITHIN SAID CABINET, (C) A PLURALITY OF THIN PARALLEL SLOTS OVERLYING SAID ONE OPEN SIDE, (D) MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SLATS WHEREBY SAID SLATS MAY BE MOVED TO A FIRST POSITION WHEREBY THEY WILL SEAL THE INTERIOR OF SAID CABINET AND TO A SECOND POSITION WHEREBY THEY WILL PROVIDE OPENING TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CABINET, (E) AND AN ELECTRICAL ACTIVATING SWITCH TO CONTROL THE LIGHTING OF SAID PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC LAMPS, (F) AND MEANS TO AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE SAID SWITCH WHEN SAID SLATS ARE IN SAID SECOND POSITION WHEREBY SAID PLURALITY OF LAMPS WILL BE LIT AND TO DE-ACTIVATE SAID SWITCH WHEN SAID SLATS ARE IN SAID FIRST POSITION, WHEREBY SAID PLURALITY OF LAMPS WILL BE OFF, (G) SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY BIASED STEM PROJECTING FROM SAID SWITCH, SAID STEM BEING IN INTERFERRING RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF SAID SLATS WHEREBY WHEN SAID ONE SLTA IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID SLAT WILL DEPRESS SAID STEM AND WHEN SAID SLAT IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, SAID SLAT WILL BE FREE OF SAID STEM. 